Pieces
by AspergianStoryteller
Summary: Bits of adventure, pieces of life.
1. Scars

Pieces

Genre: General

Summary: Bits of life, pieces of adventure. (I don't own Rowan of Rin. Emily Rodda does, and she did an excellent job.)

Chapter 1: Scars

Shanon, the Keeper of the Coolhouse had in his time, seen various rodents seeking food and shelter inside (and chased them out. He would never admit to having a soft spot for the mice). He had driven out invasions of plucky birds and cheeky, arrogent cats.

But this was the first time he had ever seen a bukshaa make its way inside.

He was checking that nothing had gone off within the many cupboards while his friend Rora, the other coolhouse keeper updated the inventory list, their usual morning routine.

_Thump, thump, thump!_ The door opened.

'Good morning,' said Nellie of the Forge.

'Morning,' Shanon poked his head out of a cupboard to mutter. 'New cheese in cupboard seven.'

'What are you here for?' asked Rora. _Scritch, scritch_, his pen went over the notebook.

'Solla asked me to bring him some milk.'

'Can he not come and fetch it himself?'

'Busy with a cake.' Nellie grinned. 'He did promise me sweets.'

Shanon laughed.

'You will become as fat as Solla himself one day.'

'Shut your mouth,' Nellie sneered. 'By the way, while I was at his shop, Sara came by for sweets, Allun too. They were talking about the return of Jiller of the Field, Jonn of the Orchard and her son, Rowan of the Bukshaa. They just got back from Maris the other day.'

Shanon and Rora perked up. Really, for all their sensibility the villagers of Rin could not help the fast spread of gossip through themselves.

'So we heard,' said Rora. 'A new Keeper of the Crystal has been chosen and life goes on.'

'Yes, but did you know that Jiller and Rowan returned injured?'

'I heard tell of it.'

'I think something strange happened to them,' Nellie said thoughtfully. 'Not surprising, considering Rowan of the Bukshaa was involved. He has been a part of strange things before. Sara and Allun said there had been an unexpected trial.' She frowned. 'I wonder what it was? Jiller and Jonn have talked about their journey, but they have not said everything. Except to Lann, I think. And perhaps their close friends.'

'If they have not spoken,' Shanon said, as he opened another cupboard, 'you should not poke your nose in. Cupboard eight is now full.'

_Scritch, scritch._

'I know, I know, but I am curious! I am _certain_ something strange happened in Maris.'

'Besides the attempted Zebak invasion?'

'Yes. They had an air about them upon return.' Nellie lifted the lid off a large, round milk vat and ladled milk into a clay flask. 'And did you see the bandages on the boy's arms? I wonder what happened to him?'

_Thud, thud, thud, thud!_ The door opened again.

'Hmm?'

Nellie's hand stilled in mid-ladle. Rora's mouth dropped open. There was a stunned silence.

'What in the world is that bukshaa doing in here?' said Shanon, incredulously.

It was calf bukshaa, born only that spring. The grey, shaggy thing had small knobs for horns and was nearly the same height as a woman's knees. The calf _hmmed_ again and walked boldly into the coolhouse. Nellie watched, bewildered, as it sniffed around the cylindrical butter churns. Then it trotted over to the open milk vat and stood right up on its hind legs, scrabbling at the smooth outside! A pink tongue reached out for the ladle.

_Thump, thump, thump!_ Rowan of the Bukshaa poked his head in.

'Sunny? Sunny!' He came in and did a brief doubletake.

'Um, sorry,' he mumbled to the humans. He kneeled down to speak to the bukshaa.

'Sunny, what are you doing in the coolhouse, hm?'

The calf, Sunny, licked his face. He giggled.

'Does it smell like your mother, Berry? Look, why don't you come back home with me and Berry will feed you. Come on now.' He laid a hand on the bukshaa's back and began to steer it away.

'What happened to your arms, Rowan of the Bukshaa?' asked Rora, suddenly.

Rowan froze. He was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and the adults could see short, jagged pink scars carved into his forearms and hands.

'Um, I had an incident in Maris,' he muttered.

'An incident?' Shanon repeated. 'It looks as though something has tried to - _eat _you.' Rowan shuddered.

'It was sort of a fishing incident.' The adults looked at each other.

'What were you fishing for, boy?' asked Nellie, 'A sea serpent?'

Rowan smiled weakly at her.

'No. They were small fish.'

'Well, sometimes dangerous things come in a small size. Just look at youself!' Rowan turned red and combed his fingers through Sunny's fur. The conversation had a shy feeling to it. Nellie was not used to it, and she wondered if this was how Rowan often felt when talking to people. For a moment, she could sympathise with him, and it was stranger to her than a bukshaa in the coolhouse.

'Sorry if Sunny interupted you. Good day.' Rowan lead the bukshaa Sunny outside and was soon gone.

'We forgot to ask him about the rest of the trip,' said Rora.

Nellie realised she was still holding the milk ladle in mid-air, dripped empty and lowered it.

XXX xxx XXX

Hours later, Rowan walked past the Teaching Tree on his way to the House of Books. It was absent of children; they spent their mornings under its boughs, learning from Timon the Teacher, then in the afternoon they were sent to the House of Books, to training for whatever adversity or adventure they might one day encounter, or out to help the adults with work. Annad would be in the orchard with Jonn now.

Older children and teenagers only spent a couple of hours after lunch under the Teaching Tree a day, and now Rowan walked to the House of Books to read_ Ailments of the Bukshaa_, by Corrie of the Bukshaa. She had been their keeper years ago, and judging by the first two chapters, she was a _genius_.

Rowan walked fast, keeping his arms tucked close to his sides. Today was his first day without bandages and, although his injuries were no longer an angry red, they were stark against his skin. The scars would probably be there for the rest of his life. Still, it could be worse.

The House of Books was perhaps twice the size of an ordinary house. There were several older children pouring over the history books in the large not-fiction room. They had taken all the sitting mats. On the other side of the room, a few adults sat at tables with their books. Rowan took_ Ailments of the Bukshaa_ from its shelf - there was half a shelf dedicated to bukshaa (Rowan had read nearly all of them)- and opened it at an empty table.

_Brush, brush._

Page 13, chapter 3: _Stomach Ailments _

_A bukshaa usually has a steady stomach_, Corrie had written, _but sometimes they will eat something that disagrees with them. My dear friend in the herd, Clear, has a taste for peelings and one day, those peelings got mixed up with a red bushbird__ bird my mother and I were preparing for dinner. Bird meat must be cooked thoroughly, and a piece of it remained with the peelings I gave Clear. When I went to see the bukshaa the next morning, she was moaning in pain. _

Corrie's recount of how she got Clear through her food poisoning ordeal absorbed Rowan completely. He picked over the sketches, not noticing that the adults in the room were one by one, gaping in surprise at him and trying not to stare too obviously.

_Apple cider vinegar?_ Rowan mused. _Easy enough. Or Licorice? That black thing the Travellers brought with them? _

'What happened to your arms?'

The voice piped into his ear so unexpectedly, Rowan banged his elbow on the table edge.

_Ow!_

The speaker was Bree and Hanna's oldest child, Ella, who was a year older than him. She was eyeing his healing arms with shock and interest.

'Fishing accident,' Rowan told her, and he tucked his arms under the table. Would she go away if he kept reading? She had not teased him as much as her younger siblings.

'Really? What kind of fishing accident?' Bother.

'Er, there were a lot of small fish with very large teeth,' Rowan told Ella. 'I was reaching into a rock pool-' (this was not lying. Hungry pool really was a rock pool) '-and they attacked me.

'Why did you put your hands in at all?' Ella's loud voice was somewhere between interested and condensending. And now everyone was staring. 'Did you not know what was in it?'

'Well, we tried scaring the fish away, but they came out before I could get my arms out completely.'

'Why did you scare the fish away? I thought you were fishing.'

'Ah- they were not what we were looking for-'

'Back to your studies, children,' Maise's voice interrupted. Heads swung to watch her in the doorway to the fiction room. Rowan didn't think he had ever been so relieved to see her, except for that time she had rescued him from being used as a chair. Or from toppling off a chair back when he could not reach the small music books shelf, which had three books.

Rowan kept an eye on Ella and the other children as he read on, but they did not question him again. They forgot he was there after a while.

A bit later (page 19, chapter 4: _Problems Down the Other End_) Lann walked into the House of Books, the _tap, tap, thunk, tap_ of her cane preceeding her.

_This is easily remedyed with regular washing._

_Tap, tap, tap._ Rowan heard Laan taking a book down from somewhere behind him and _tap, tap tap, thump, scrape, rustle and thump,_ she took a seat at the table next to his.

_Brush, brush._

'... How are your arms?'

'... They are mending.'

'Good. The fresh air will do them well. How is your mother?'

'She is much better too,' Rowan said. _Brush, brush. _

He saw Lann leaning over to see his arms.

_Diet, too, affects the rear-end workings. If a bukshaa is ill with a fungal stomach infection, there will be an excretment of - _Oh and there was even a coloured picture here.

'That will scar, boy. It will be something to tell your children about.' Rowan had no idea how to answer that one. He did not know if he would ever have children to tell his stories to either.

_I wonder if she feels differently about me now?_ he wondered. If she did, she gave no sign of it. _Is Lann thinking about what happened to me in Maris?_

Upon his return to Rin two days ago he, Jonn and Jiller had told Lann and the few who knew of their family's duty what happened to them in the Maris. Jiller spoke of her brief experience on the Island before Death Sleep struck her down. Jonn talked about his wait in the Cavern of the Crystal, knowing that Rowan would return in time, and of the Zebak's attempted attack. Rowan told them about his adventure solving the riddle of the antidote with the Candidates, the suspisions that plagued him and the terrible realisation that Doss was a slave to the Zebak (dismay and horror crossed the faces in Timon's workroom here). How he had moved to join with the Crystal - he heard gasps and saw eyes widen - and pulling Doss to join with the Crystal anyway because it was more powerful than any brainwashing.

Timon's eyes were wide with wonder.

'How incredible,' he murmured.

Rowan hoped they would not ask for more detail. Jiller and Jonn already knew the experience had changed him. 'Something in your eyes,' his mother said. He did not want the others to know too.

The adults eyed him with wonder and curiousity, but only Lann, Timon the Teacher and Allun the Very Curious Baker had pressed for more.

'It felt like, like a vast sea,' he said shyly. 'Full of time and power. Nothing can stand before it; not love or ties to others.' An irresistable force washing away all his bonds, absorbing his soul like a drop of rain falling into the sea. He was becoming part of something much bigger and stronger and older than himself, giving up his own raindrop self with joy. How safe and comforting it would have been!

And for the moment the Crystal's healing power had rushed through him into Doss, his skin tingled and his head swam.

Most of the adults looked unsettled by his description. Rowan didn't blame them. Jonn and Jiller held their faces steady and eyes dry, but he could see the relief and fear in their eyes. Allun's eyebrows were high on his forehead.

'My goodness,' he said. 'That is more impressive than any cheese dream or drunken night I have ever had. But I am glad you are staying here.' There was a moment of quiet. Rowan's face was red. Jonn squeezed Rowan's shoulder. Then Alunn grinned and said,

'I wonder what would happen if you had cheese with that experience?'

_Lann was unsettled, I know. But I know she will get over it. Lann is one of the most sensible people in the village._

XXX xxx X XX

Later again, as the sun was slowly sinking West and people were coming in from the fields, Rowan stood with Star by the fence, watching them walk. The Western horizon was turning yellow and the East side was darkening.

Rowan threaded his fingers through Star's fur.

'I think we all need to keep an eye on Sunny,' he told her. She looked at him.

'He keeps wandering off. More than any other bukshaa. You know I found him in the coolhouse today.'

'Hmm.'

'And yesterday he was trying to _climb _the fence, and before we went to Maris he was in the House of Books! He is just like Annad!'

Star snorted.

'And then I have to go and find him. But at least nothing bad has happened to him.' _Thank Orrin the mine shafts are all closed down or locked up._ Wait. _Thank Orrin? _A warm spring breeze bent the grass and rustled in the trees and ruffled Rowan's hair and Star's fur. It smelt of blossoms.

The exposed pink marks on Rowan's arms and hands tingled. He looked at them. He did not remember how many times he had looked at them. Lann was right that they would be a story to tell. Apparently she had several battle scars from the War of the Plains. Allun and Sara both possessed burn marks from years baking cakes and bread in hot ovens. There was a line on Jiller's leg made by a plow years ago. Lots of little cuts littered Jonn's body. Scars were a part of life. Everyone had to put up injuries every now and then, and sometimes they told tales.

_One, two, three -_

_'Wait... wait,' said Doss. 'Wait for all of them to go.'_

_Now! Rowan plunged his hand into the cold, silvery water. Deeper, deeper, his body stretched out over the rock. Wetness lapped his chest, his neck, his chin, soaking his clothes. If the fish were to attack now..._

_His fingers grasped the moonflower's smooth, hard stem. He thrust his other arm in, pinched the end with his nails - yes! - and shuffled backwards, grazing himself on hte receeded down his chest, out came his elbows and -_

_'Ahh!'_

_'Rowan!'_

_His forearms were pierced with pain. Water, blood and tiny, hiddeous fish fell from him and splashed back into the pool. Silver and red. Sweet purfume clouded the air. _

_His hands were shaking, needles filled his mind, but he held the moonflower over the jar Seaborn held before him. _

_Pluck one and add the tears it sheds..._

Rowan's arm had fallen to his side and Star looked at it. She licked it.

'Hmm.' Her nose wrinked. Rowan giggled.

'That is healing cream you taste, Star. The kind they make in Maris. Does it taste fishy?' He licked his hand carefully.

'Ugh.'

'Rowan!' Annad's loud, high-pitched voice floated from the edge of the orchard. 'Rowan! Hello!'

'Hello, Annad!' he called back. He raised his arm to wave to them. It looked unfamiliar. Then Annad and Jonn waved at him, and he waved back.

XXX xxx XXX

Thanks to ummdotedu for the information on food poisoning.


	2. Sick

_Pieces_

Summary: Bits of adventure, pieces of life.

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 2<span>: Sick (Set not long after book 4. Around autumn.)

_Rowan buttoned up his pants and began his short walk back to bukshaa, very glad that Jonn was too sick to work in his orchard where Rowan went to relieve himself if it was urgent._

_Pink dawn light shone through the browning leaves and bits of grass. Bird song sang in the trees. The morning was so tranquil he almost didn't notice the creepy feeling that something was watching him. The hairs on the back of Rowan's neck prickled unpleasantly._

_..._

_'Ah-!?'_

_Before he could even see anything moving an iron-strong arm wrapped around around his body, crushing him into a solid chest and a hand slapped over his mouth._

_What the blazes!? _

_'Mmff!' Rowan shrieked through the gag. He jerked his legs and a long gray-clad leg budged them away. The hand over his mouth held a handkerchief reeking of something sweet._

_And suddenly all his strength was leaving him. His eyelids were unbelievably heavy..._

XXX xxx XXX

_Thump! Thump! Thump! Thud!_

The sound of Jonn retching into a bowl reached Rowan as he walked past his and Jiller's bedroom.

Poor Jonn.

Rowan rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned, wondering if he should check on the adults yet.

'Urrghhhh!'

_Splash!_

Not yet.

His head throbbed under tentative fingers. Orrin, what a headache.

'Jonn?'

'I'm alright, Jiller.'

_Knock. Knock._

'Mother, Jonn, may I come in?'

'Yes, Rowan.'

Rowan tried not to wrinkle his nose at the smell of vomit as he entered. He found Jonn leaning over a bowl on a small table. The bedroom was less sparse than it used to be; the wooden floor and walls were mostly bare, but a set of pretty curtains made by Shaaran hung over the window and a matching rug spread out over the floor by the cupboard. Of course, Jonn and Jiller relunctantly admited how much they liked the warmth under their feet when they got dressed during winter.

'How are you feeling this morning?'

'Better than yesterday,' Jiller said.

Jonn wobbled back to the bed and tucked himself back inder the covers.

'I will bring you another jug of water with breakfast,' Rowan promised.

'Thank you, skinny rabbit.' Days ago Jonn would have been struggling to hold his breakfast and go to work. A good deal of throwing up and scolding from the rest of the house taught him better.

_Though it pains me to see him so unwell,_ Rowan thought, _he is more obedient and sensible now. I do not need to worry about him and Mother so much now._

'Is there anything you want you me to get while I am out today?'

'No, thank you,' Jiller said.

Rowan trudged downstairs to replace his parents' water jug and mix porridge for everyone. Today's routine would be to make breakfast, make lunch for Annad (thankfully she was a morning person like Rowan and did not mind the earlier start too much), take Annad with him to the bukshaa field, send her to the Teaching Tree, look after his bukshaa, go to help Sara at the bakery and have lunch there, bring lunch to Jonn and Jiller, back to the field, get dinner from Sara, go home.

Where was this headache coming from? Was he getting sick again? _I had that strange dream too. Perhaps I am coming down with a fever?_

XXX xxx XXX

'ACHOO! _Cough! Cough! Cough!' _

Rowan winced at the sounds of Norris coming through his bedroom door.

_Knock. Knock._

'Norris, I have soup. I am coming in.'

'Ugh, thank you, Rowan,' Norris groaned. He sat up in his bed, surrounded by blankets. 'Oh, is that vegetable soup?'

'It is. Sara knows all your favourites.'

Norris gave him a watery grin and began to slurp his soup enthusiastically.

'I see you still have your appetite.'

_Slurp._ 'Of course -' _gulp_ - 'I do. You know Sara's food. Ah - you should not stand so close, Rowan. You will catch my illness.'

Rowan smiled.

'I have already been sick, Norris. That is why Sara asked _me _to bring you your lunch.'

'Eh? For real? When?' _Slurp._

'A few days ago.'

_Gulp._

'How did you recover so fast? A cold keeps you at home for a few days. Shouldn't a stomach bug this bad still have you bedridden?'

'It usually does,' he said. 'But sometimes the opposite happens and I get well quickly. I think it is because my body is so used to getting sick.'

_Slurp._ '... I guess that makes sense.' _Gulp. _

'Mmm, this is really good. I wish I could taste it properly. Say, could the opposite happen to the rest of us?'

'Oh yes. At this moment Mother and Jonn are very miserable in bed. Their throwing up woke me this morning.' He frowned. 'It sounded painful. They have been ill all week.'

'Hn. They will be alright, Rowan.' _Slurp. Gulp._

'Mmm. Are you cooking at your house?'

'Yes. Sara does send me home with plates though. I wonder how she has the time.'

'She is strong.'

'She is.'

Sara brought up a bowl of soup for Rowan which he ate while he and Norris talked.

'What is that book that is always taken at the House of Books?' Norris asked. 'It is something from overseas, right?'

Rowan nodded eagerly.

'Tales of Deltora,' he said. 'It is a history book from Deltora, but it is like an adventure tale and the pictures are amazing.'

XXX xxx XXX

Rowan and Annad arrived home at the same time late in the afternoon. Annad sniffed at the pot and paper-wrapped package in her brother's arm and said eagerly,

'Is that tomato soup and herb bread?'

'Yes,' said Rowan, opening the door.

'Yes!'

The food was quickly sorted into bowls and plates and brought to Jonn and Jiller's room.

'Oh, thank you,' Jiller rasped, taking her tray on her lap. 'This smells so good.' She and John were in their bed, bundled up all their winter blankets.

'ACHOO! I cannot smell anything now, but I agree,' Jonn sniffled.

Annad quickly settled herself on top of the covers and began eating.

'Dora is growing peaches' - _munch_ - 'in her garden, they are' - _munch_ - 'very juicy and sweet...' - _munch_ - she chattered away. Rowan joined her on the bed, secretly very pleased for the excuse. How long had it been since he got to do this with his family?

'How are Sara, Norris and Shaaran, Rowan?' Jiller asked when Annad finished talking about peaches.

'Norris is sick. Shaaran and Sara have not been sick yet. Allun has been ill already and gotten better and Marlie is still recovering.'

'I hope she is not too uncomfortable, being ill _and_ pregnant,' Jiller murmured sympathetically.

'Did you get ill and pregnant, Mother?' asked Annad.

'No. I only threw up a little in the beginning. I had two very normal pregnancies.'

_Rowan was very quiet and calm inside me. Annad was squirmy and came out early, impatient already._

'Rowan?'

'Yes, Annad?'

'Dora's mother is pregnant now. How did she become pregnant?'

Rowan choked on his soup. Then he turned red.

'Ah, I told you this years ago, Annad. A baby grows inside it's mother's body, attached to her by-'

'I remember _that_ part, Rowan. I mean, how does it _start_ growing?'

Jonn spit his soup out.

XXX xxx XXX

_Extra 1_

'Hmmm...'

The bukshaa Star bellowed peacefully as she chewed grass, undisturbed by Rowan cuddling into her side.

Sefton grinned at the big smile on his son's face.

'He is taking very well to this work,' Jonn said.

'Even better, he is having fun,' Allun nodded approvingly. 'I always say one should enjoy one's work.'

'Star and Dawn are sisters, their mama is Wave. Their papa is Sandy. Am I right, Star?'

'Hmm.'

'Leaf and Snow are brothers. Their mama is Berry. Their papa is Barking.'

'He is learning fast.'

'Who decided the name Barking?' Jonn asked. 'Was it you, Allun?'

'No. I would have called him Cupcake.'

'Papa?'

Rowan tugged on Sefton's trousers.

'Papa?'

'Yes?' He kneeled down.

'What are Clover and Patch doing?'

'Clover and Patch? Which bukshaa are they - Ah.'

Jonn made a choking sound.

'This is unexpected,' Allun snickered.

Sefton calmly turned Rowan around.

'When two adults love each other very much,' he began, 'they may decide to have a baby...'

Jonn turned red and hastily walked away. Allun laughed at him and followed.

When they came back, it was on time to hear Rowan saying,

'But Papa, Clover and Patch are both boys.'

XXX xxx XXX

_Extra 2_

Dawn's furry belly was very swollen now. She groaned as Rowan rubbed it gently.

'Not long now, Dawn,' he whispered. 'Soon your calf will be born and the pain will go away.'

It was a cloudy day, but the grey mass above them would pass Rin before they released their rain.

_Even if it rained,_ Rowan thought anxiously, _it would not help us. even rainwater is not sweet enough._

'Rowan?' Annad asked from Dawn's other side. She peeked at her brother from under the bukshaa's belly.

'When is Dawn going to lay her egg?'

'Huh? Egg?'

'That's were babies come from, isn't it?'

'Er, not baby bukshaa.'

'Where do they come from, then?'

_Oh no. Why does she have to ask_ me _this question?_

'Tell me, Rowan!'


	3. A quiet night with friends

_Pieces_

Bits of adventure, pieces of life.

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 3<span>: A quiet night with friends (Set between book 1 and 2)

_Clank, clank, clank!_

'Annad, not so roughly.' Rowan's quiet voice drifted out from the kitchen and into Allun's keen ears, over the cackle of the fire and his friends' conversation.

'Timon, of course, outscored all of us by a landslide,' Jonn recounted. 'And I told him he should challenge Rowan to a game. Has he played anyone other than us?'

'I do not think so,' said Jiller.

'I wonder if he would enter a competition?'

The five of them snorted.

'What of Maris?' Sara suggested. 'I think Rowan is clever enough to compete there.'

'Maybe,' Jonn mused. 'It depends on which game. Skinny Rabbit almost always bests me at chess.'

'Annad could be good at chess to,' said Jiller. 'If she could sit still long enough.'

'Your entire family is good at intellectual games,' Allun said.

'They get it from you,' Jonn added.

_Clank, clank._

'If frogs and tadpoles are family, why do they look different, Rowan?'

Jiller smiled.

'Do you remember the first time he and Sefton played chess?'

'I do. It was that night you had us and your cousins over for dinner.'

Allun remembered that night too. Years ago, when Annad was barely two weeks old they had spent a long, happy night at this house celebrating with food, talk and games. Most of the children were playing with marbles but Rowan had stayed close to his parents.

_'Yes, that is right. The horse moves two across and one ahead. Whoops, I mean, the bukshaa. ' Sefton smiled at his small son, drawing out a matching expression._

_The two of them shared dark hair and smiles, looking very much like father and son in that moment._

'Who do you think is the best chess player in the village?' Allun wondered. 'Timon?'

'I think Lann is,' Marlie said.

'Only if she is in good mood,' Jiller shook her head. 'Or she will not be patient enough. Maise beat her once like that.'

'I believe Sheba is still the best,' Sara said confidently. 'Although she cares little for human company, Sheba is a fine chess player. I remember when we were younger; she could beat nearly everybody who challenged her.'

Allun leaned in eagerly.

'Who did beat her, Mother?'

Sara grinned.

'Myself, Ogden-'

'Ha!'

'-Lann, that Maris girl - Larsh, Timon and Todd the woodcutter.'

'Todd?' asked Allun. 'That fellow we buy our firewood from?'

'The very one.'

'Oh.'

_Clank. Click. Thud. Click, clank, click._

Allun built a picture in his head with sound; Rowan and Annad were putting the dishes away. Plate into a cupboard. Shut the door. Move a chair to reach the next cupboard. Open it. Pots in. Shut.

_Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud..._

'Skinny Rabbit, do you feel like a game of chess?'

Rowan looked at Jonn and blinked.

'Ah, yes. I will get our board.' He took a carved wooden box from a cupboard in the sitting room and he and Jonn settled on the floor together. Out came the black and white painted board and carved pieces all made by Rowan's grandfather.

Annad plopped down next to her brother and helped him line up his black pieces.

'Is this bukshaa star?' she asked.

'I think so,' he said. 'And who is this one? Is she Dawn?'

'No. This one is Twilight.'

'I see.'

The adults smiled at each other.

XXX xxx XXX

'Oo, bad move Jonn. You have walked right into his trap.'

'Shush, Allun.'

_Tap._

...

_Tap._

Rowan smiled.

'Checkmate.'

His warrior was two squares away from Jonn's king.

'... Blast. I cannot move. You win.'

'Yes!' Annad cheered.

'He was going easy on you!'

'I was not. Jonn is not that easy.'

'Easy?'

'My turn! Let us see if you can defeat me, Rowan.'

Allun joined them on the floor and took over from Jonn on the white side. He was a stronger player than Jonn, able to predict his opponent's plays.

'Hey Rowan, next time you play Jonn you should make the loser wear one of your mother's dresses.' There was his mental attack.

Rowan snorted in surprise.

'Imagine him in that red dancing dress!'

'Ha ha ha ha ha!'

'Oi!'

_Click._

_Bother!_

Allun took Rowan's bukshaa with his pawn.

'Better get your head in the game, Rowan, or it will you wearing a dress,' Jonn said, sitting in the chair next to Jiller's. Marlie and Sara had the couch.

'When you grow into them, anyway,' he snickered.

From then on Rowan tried hard to not laugh when Allun cooked up pictures of Jonn in various dresses and skirts. He lost a tower when an imaginary Bree walked casually through the village in pink silk skirt.

'I should like to see Bree's face if he heard,' Marlie muttered.

Eventually, with both sides cut down to a few pieces, Allun won the game.

'Good game,' he grinned. 'Now, who wants to play with Rowan next?'

'I do not mind watching this time,' Rowan said. 'Someone else should have a turn.'

'Marlie then. Care to match wits with me?'

Marlie sat down across from Allun took the black pieces from Rowan and Annad.

'If you lose, Allun, I really will have you put on a dress.'


	4. Stronger than he looks

_Pieces_

Bits of adventure, pieces of life.

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 4<span>: Stronger than he looks

_Even before he went up the Mountain, Rowan was fighting fear everyday._

**Ice**

'Mama? Mama, are you better?'

Annad's voice crept under Jiller's thick blankets. Jiller poked her head out to see her daughter leaning in close.

'I am feeling a little better,' she said. Her head did not throb as badly as the day before.

Annad smiled and climbed on the bed. Jiller could not see her through the darkness but she felt the small weight settling on top of her.

'What time is it, Annad?'

'Um...'

'Will you go into the kitchen and bring me the clock?'

'Yes, Mama!'

Annad slid down with a loud _thud!_ and ran off. She was soon back with the small clock they kept on a shelf in the kitchen.

Five-thirty. The sun would not be up at this time, not during Winter. Everyone would still be in bed.

'Alright Annad. You can go back to bed.'

Except for Rowan. He might be waking up now. Everyone started work earlier in Winter, Rowan earlier than most.

'Wait, Annad. Before you go to bed, tell Rowan he can take the leftover dinner with him.'

'Yes, Mama.'

The three year old padded out and Jiller tried not to fall back asleep. It was not often she had a cold, but when she did, it hit hard and kept her in bed or at home for at least two days. She depended on her close friends to take Annad out and cook, but at least Rowan was now old enough to go to the Teaching Tree or the bukshaa field on his own. (1)

'Rowan is not home, Mama,' Annad said when she came back.

'Not home? He has left already? ... Go back to bed then. Sara will be here in a while to make breakfast and take you to the bakery.'

'Can I sleep with you, Mama?'

'Alright.'

xxx XXX xxx

_Knock knock._

'Jiller? Are you awake?'

'Good morning, Sara!'

'Good morning, Annad.'

Jiller rubbed her eyes and sat up.

'Hello, Sara.'

Her friend was smiling at Annad, but there was worry dark in her eyes.

'Annad, your breakfast is ready in the kitchen. Why don't you get dressed quickly so you can eat?'

'Yes! Breakfast!'

Annad wiggled out of bed and ran out to fetch her clothes. Sara moved aside for her and asked Jiller if she felt up to eating with them in the kitchen.

'Yes, I have the energy today,' Jiller said.

'Mama! Help me please?'

Annad dashed back in with her clothes and Jiller helped her with the buttons before getting dressed herself. Even if she was in no condition to work today, being dressed in her day clothes made her feel better.

In the kitchen Annad and Sara were already eating porridge with honey and Jiller's stomach rumbled.

'Has Rowan already gone out to the bukshaa fields?' Sara asked.

'Yes, a while ago.'

Jiller filled her bowl from the pot and drizzled more honey than usual into it.

'What time did he leave?'

'Before five-thirty... is something wrong?'

Sara frowned.

'Jonn came to our house just before I left this morning,' she said. 'He said the bukshaa are not in their field and he did not see Rowan there. He and Allun have gone to look for them.

'I wanted to ask you what time Rowan left this morning. Allun and Jonn will return soon.'

'... I do not even remember seeing him last night,' Jiller murmured. Her porridge was suddenly tasteless. 'I went to sleep in the evening just after dinner.' She had a light dinner in her room but her children ate in the kitchen because of her headache.

'He was home then,' Sara said. 'He was here when Allun left after dinner.'

'... Perhaps the bukshaa have strayed?'

'The whole herd at once? Where would they have gone?'

xxx XXX xxx

_'The wind in the trees and the birds and the bees~'_ Jonn sung quietly as he walked towards the orchards.

_'The stream gurgling merrily-'_ He stopped.

Something was strange. There was something different going on here.

It was a cold, frosty Winter morning, and the sky was turning grey. The birds were singing already, but they were only ones awake. Jonn might be up now to check the frost damage on his trees, but nearly everyone else in Rin would in bed for another half an hour.

Rowan might be awake though - oh, _that_ was it.

Jonn was within sight of the bukshaa field now - _but there was not one to be seen._

Seriously. There were no bukshaa in their field. Jonn did not see them at their pool either.

So where were they?

Had Rowan taken them out to the growing fields already? Surely not when no one who worked in the fields was out yet.

He climbed up the hills anyway to check. No one was out there.

Jonn frowned. He could search the orchards, but maybe he should go to the bakery first, since Annad would be going there before Teaching. He could ask Allun and Sara if they knew anything.

xxx XXX xxx

'They went this way,' Allun announced.

'How do you -'

_Squelch~_

'Ah.'

Allun laughed and leapt lightly over a dropping.

'Ah, look ahead!' he said, pointing. 'I see one!' He darted ahead of Jonn.

'There are more! I think the whole herd is here, Jonn!'

Jonn ran to catch up and saw there were several bukshaa standing around the hoopberry trees.

'Twilight, Dawn, Apple,' he counted heads. 'Misty, Wave... You are right. What are they doing here?'

Allun nimbly stepped between the beasts and they moved to let him through.

'Oi, Jonn!' he called back. 'Look who I have found!' The baker turned forward again and said softly,

'Hello Rowan. How long have you been out here? How are you feeling?'

From the middle of a huddle of bukshaa, Rowan looked up through a gap and blinked tiredly at them.

'Allun?' he murmured.

'And Jonn. What are you all doing here in the orchard?'

'Ah, it's Shine.'

'Shine? hey, Rowan, stay awake. What about Shine?'

'She wandered off last night and got stuck here.' Rowan yawned. 'I tried to free her.'

'Have you been out here all night?' Jonn asked, shocked.

'Yes.'

Jonn closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair.

'Why did you not ask someone for help?' he tried not to growl. 'You could have ask Allun or myself to help you. Or Marlie, or Timon, or your mother's relatives. Why would you stay out here all night, during Winter?'

Rowan looked at them with watering eyes and trembling lips so Allun clapped his hand over Jonn's mouth.

'He is just worried about you, Rowan. Let us help you up.'

It turned out that Shine had cut one her legs when she got stuck in large rabbit warren and bleed a lot, which was why Rowan had not wanted to leave her alone. He had tried to pull her out, but the half-grown bukshaa was too heavy and too wedged in the earth and tree roots for him. An adult would have risked leaving to get help, but Allun knew Rowan, being young and afraid for his bukshaa's life, would not have wanted to take that risk.

So, being unable to free Shine, Rowan had wrapped his shirt around her leg and stayed with her all night.

Thank goodness, Allun thought, the boy had taken his winter clothes when he saw Shine wandering off from his window and went after her. And thank goodness the rest of the herd had spent the night huddled around them.

Allun wrapped his jacket around Rowan and helped Jonn pull Shine out. The young bukshaa stumbled but she seemed to be out of immediate danger. Rowan hugged her and unwrapped his shirt from her leg with shaking fingers.

'The bleeding has nearly stopped,' Allun said as he assessed the congealing blood on Shine's wool. 'You did a good job, Rowan.'

'Will she be alright?'

'Yes. I think she will need stitches, but Shine will live.'

'Oh. I am so glad.' Rowan smiled. 'Can you show me how to sew, Allun?'

'Right now you will go home to rest and eat,' Jonn interrupted. 'Allun or your mother can teach you sewing another day.'

'But Shine needs stitches!'

'She will get them.' Jonn rewrapped Shine's leg and picked her up.

'Allun, take Rowan to your house and let Jiller know what happened.'

'Shall I bring you a needle and thread afterwards?'

'Yes. Rowan has worked hard so I will make sure it is finished properly.'

'How good are you at sewing?' Allun grinned.

Rowan's eyes widened in alarm.

'I am joking! Jonn can sew well enough, Skinny Rabbit. Shine is in good hands. Come on, there is a plate of pancakes with your name on them at my house.'

* * *

><p><strong>Fire<strong>

Annad's little hand holding his made Rowan feel a bit better. She padded after their cousins into the lounge, pulling Rowan after her.

Arra, Sen, and Dayn were the children of Sefton's cousin Gem. (2) Even though they were his relatives, Rowan felt shy of them.

Arra and Sen, a little older than him, and Dayn, a little older than Annad, sat on a woven rug before the fireplace with their marbles out in rows. They were playing Line Shoot. Arra used a finger to flick one her marbles at Sen's row.

_Click!_

Sen grabbed the marbles as they rolled away and gave them to Arra, and she put them in a jar.

'Pretty!' Annad reached out to grab them, but Rowan caught her hands.

'Here. Annad can play with these,' Arra said, giving her a string of pretty beads.

'You play with Dayn,' she said to Rowan. 'Then we will swap.'

Rowan wondered, not for the first time if her parents had told her to include him, or if she was taking pity on him. It was hard to tell with her.

'Aww...' Dayn muttered. He had obviously been told to play.

xxx XXX xxx

'What happened to Rowan the other day?' asked Gem. 'I saw Allun walking him into the bakery covered in blood.'

She, her husband Ferd and Jiller were drinking tea in Gem's kitchen after dinner.

Jiller explained how Rowan had spent the night outside protecting an injured bukshaa and gotten a bad cold. Several people must have seen Allun bringing him back, and wearing the baker's jacket had not covered the stain of Shine's blood.

Rowan had come down with a cold and Shine was quickly recovering from her injury.

'Ah,' Gem said. 'It is good that he and the bukshaa are alright.'

'I was not aware that rabbit holes were a risk to the bukshaa,' said Ferd. 'It is rare for a bukshaa to come into danger.'

'Not so,' said Gem. 'A very cold winter could be dangerous.'

'With their wooly coats?'

'And giving birth,' Jiller added.

'Ah.'

There was a pause then, and they heard the click or marbles in the lounge.

_Click!_

'Not fair, Sen.'

'Do not winge, Dayn. Hand them over.'

'How cold was it that night?' Ferd wondered. 'There was a thick frost.'

'Yes, that is why Jonn was out early to check the trees. The entire bukshaa herd were huddled around Rowan and Shine.'

'Rowan must be hardier than he looks,' Ferd said. Jiller was not certain if he was genuinely impressed, or just trying not to add to her worry. Strong adults had died from cold like that night, though it was rare.

Jiller supposed most people could not imagine any danger or trouble in the job of caring for the bukshaa. After all, with the exception of little Minna, none of the Keepers had ever died doing their work.

_Click!_

_Smack!_

A marble came flying into the kitchen and hit the bottom of a cupboard.

'Whoa! Good shot!'

Arra came in from the lounge, her eyes on the floor.

'How many times have I told you not to do that inside, Arra?' Ferd scolded her.

'Sorry, Father,' she muttered, retrieving her marble from under a chair.

'Be careful.'

'Yes, Father.' She left, and the adults had a moment of peace before cries of alarm came from the lounge.

'Annad! No!'

'Oh look out!'

xxx XXX xxx

_Click!_

_Clack!_

_Clack!_

Sen grinned as his shot struck the biggest marble in Rowan's line.

_Click!_

Arra's strong forefinger sent a blue marble flying out into the kitchen where it hit something with a loud:

_Smack!_

'Whoa! Good shot!' Sen said admiringly.

She went after her shot, cringing.

'Oo, Father is going to tell her off!' Dayn giggled.

'How many times have I told you not to do that inside, Arra?'

'Sorry, Father.'

Rowan looked at the floor as the sound of Arra's footsteps came back, wishing the rug had a pattern he could be interested in.

There was a loud gasp.

'Annad! No!'

Rowan looked up quickly and saw Annad reaching for her beads... which were lying in the fireplace!

Sen lunged for Annad and yanked her away from the fire.

'Oh look out!' Arra cried.

Annad had grasped the end of the beads and they had been thrown onto the rug as she was pulled away. The string glowed red on the rug before it suddenly burst into flame.

xxx XXX xxx

The adults burst from their chairs and were running when the children started shouting.

They found Sen and Dayn scrambling backwards with Annad, who was beginning to cry, along with Rowan.

'What happened!?' Ferd bellowed. 'Is someone hurt?'

'Annad's bead fell in the fire,' Arra said quietly. 'She tried to get them out, but they caught fire on the rug.'

'What!?'

'It's out now! Rowan put it out.'

Jiller kneeled down to take Annad in her arms and hug Rowan. He sobbed into her shoulder.

Gem stomped on the black patch in the rug with her slippers.

'Is anyone hurt?' Ferd repeated.

'Rowan's hands are burnt,' Jiller said, turning one over in her hand. The skin was bright red.

'Anyone else?'

'No,' said the other children.

'Alright then. We have burn paste in the kitchen for those hands.'

Jiller followed Ferd with her children as Gem put up a fire guard and sent Arra to bring water for the rug.

In the kitchen Ferd put his medicine box on the table and had Rowan stand before him, still crying.

'Why did you put out the fire with your hands, boy? That was dangerous. You should know that well.'

'I don't k-know,' Rowan sniffled.

Jiller filled a large bowl with from the water barrel and placed her son's hands with it. Annad was quieting in her other arm, falling asleep.

'Thank goodness it was still small.' Ferd said.

'Alright, keep your hands in there until I say take them out.'

Ferd and Jiller prepared tea for everyone while Rowan cooled his hands and his tears stopped.

'You can take your hands out now,' Ferd told him when the tea was ready. 'Dry them carefully and I'll put this paste on.'

'Thank you, Ferd,' Rowan said shyly.

'Your left hand is less injured so you can still hold your cup. There.'

Somehow tea was no quieter than dinner, as Gem and Ferd's children had gotten over their fright.

'Tage challeneged me to a seven level Line Shoot tomorrow,' Sen grinned. 'He is betting his blue chicken egg on his win.'

'You lost your steel blackbird egg your him last time,' Arra reminded him. 'And his wrist was sprained.'

'I was going easy on him!'

'And then you lost! You always lose when you shoot lazy.'

'I do not!'

'You do,' said Dayn. 'Even Rowan beat you.'

Rowan's face turned pink.

Jiller smiled.

* * *

><p><span>Notes<span>

(1) I estimate Rowan is 5-7 years older than Annad. She is 5 in the first book, and Rowan is probably 10 or older.

(2) Made up. Or perhaps Sefton's mum had a sister we don't know about? Jiller, Rowan and Annad are closer with their friends, but they are on good terms with their extended relatives and visit each other every now and then.

Sorry there's so many OCs. The cast of cannon Rin characters I can use is actually small, but I will try not to use too many OCs.

Burn treatment information: thanks to St John's.


	5. Rowan's nightshort (shirt)

_Pieces_

Bits of adventure, pieces of life.

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 5<span>: Rowan's nightshort (shirt)

Set shortly after Rowan of the Bukshaa.

Jiller lays the last mug down and pulls out a stool for herself, hoping no one else will show up.

'Thanks,' Broden murmurs, before lifting her's to drink. The others do the same, and Allun reaches for the biscuits in the middle of the table.

It is dark outside, but the sky is clear for the first time in nearly two weeks. Heavy rain fell every day until the stream and Bukshaa pool overflowed. The fields all resemble swamps more than crops (hopefully they will not drown) and the hills have turned into mudslides.

Oh and many houses have been flooded. On top of the ones that were damaged by the incredible snow and cold.

Everyone has been busy working to save their homes and block or divert the floodwater. Jiller has been out all day carrying things and digging and there is a pile of muddy laundry still waiting for her, but somehow Allun, Sara, Lann, Bronden, Val, Ellis and her cousin Gem have wound up coming home with her and Jonn for a cup of tea.

She hopes they will not wake Rowan and Annad, who have also been working hard and gone to bed before the adults arrived.

'I hope all this rain will not bring us flies earlier,' Allun says. He dips a biscuit (his second) in his tea.

'They are very bothersome,' Jonn mutters. They leave fly swatting to Annad here. She loves it. She can spend ages thundering around the house with the swatter.

They talk about bugs for a while and move onto housing problems, lead by Lann and Bronden.

'I am experimenting with varnishing,' she says. 'A lot of furniture has been ruined by the cold or flood. Of course, I do not mind the hard work, but it is such a waste of good wood.'

Her own house is not too badly damaged, but others were not so fortunate. Both Timon and Sheba are living with Lann for now. Jiller is not sure who she feels more sorry for; apparently Timon snores very loudly.

The kitchen door creaks slightly and there are quiet footsteps. Sounds like Rowan come down for a late snack.

Their kitchen and eating room is basically one long room with a tall bench separating the areas. Rowan enters through the side and opens the pantry. He is half-asleep and does not notice the guests at the table right away.

Jiller turns to ask her son if he wants a cup of tea and freezes. Uh oh.

During the long Winter Rowan and Annad both outgrew some of their clothes, including their Summer nightshirts. They realised this shortly before the flooding and Jiller has not had time to make new ones yet. For now, Annad is wearing one of Rowan's old shirts to bed, and Rowan is wearing one of Jiller's. She thought she had a spare nightshirt but it has disappeared. Did she give it to Gem's daughter Arra?

The white shirt hangs loosely around Rowan's shoulders, partly unbuttoned (it is a warm night), exposing his collarbones and chest. The bottom ends half-way down his thighs.

'I was not expecting to see Rowan tonight,' Allun grins. 'Not so much of him, anyway.'

Jonn sniggers. The others have fallen into baffled silence.

Jiller decides to move things along so she can go to bed soon.

'Rowan?' she says. 'Would you like to take a cup of tea to bed?'

Rowan turns to her, blinks, and rubs the sleep from his eyes. He notices the full table and looks down at his shirt, and you can see the moment it clicks when he stiffens and turns red.

'... Ah - um... No thank you!' he squeaks, edging behind the pantry door.

It is too much for Allun and he bursts into laughter. Rowan glares at him, but it only makes him laugh harder, and sets Jonn off too.

'Grow up, you two,' Lann scolds, but she's trying not to smile.

Timon smiles at Rowan and tells him to be glad Sheba is not there. Whether this is of relief, Jiller is not sure, but it snaps Rowan out of shock. He grabs a wheat stick from the pantry and mutters a quiet,

'Good night,' striding out.

Allun stops laughing long enough to loudly accuse Bronden of blushing and start a fight.

I hope Rowan did not hear that, Jiller thinks.

* * *

><p>I went to Armageddon Expo this weekend. Flew down to Christchurch and stayed the night with my friend in her student flat. I cosplayed as Kuroko Tetsuya from Kuroko's Basketball and a few people recognised it.<p>

There was lots of steampunk jewellery for sale - I got a ring. Can you imagine the Zebak culture eventually going a bit steampunk?


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